Centrifugal emulsifies



Nov. 13, 1923. 1,473,734 c. F. PAUL, ,1R Y

CENTRIFUGAL EMULS IFIER Filed June l5; 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EL'gUZ Iig.5

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l 33,13% www Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

UNITED STATES l 1,473,734 PATENT oFFicE.

CHRISTIAN F. PAUL, JR., F AUSTIN, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR T0 ERNEST NALLE, XV.I. ALLEN, AND EI) ROSENGREN, TRUSTEES, ALL. 0F AUSTIN, TEXAS.

CENTRIFUGAL EJIULSIFIER.

Application filed June 15, 1921.

To aZZ whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN F. PAUL, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Austin, in the county of Travis and Stateof Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCentrifugal Emulsiers, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to devices for mixing or emulsifying two or moreliquids, miscible or immiscible, and simultaneously bringing them intointimate association for any purpose, as for example to facilitate Aquick and complete chemical reaction between a liquid to be treated anda reagent. The production of such an intimate mixture is advantageous innumerous arts, as for instance in the treatment of crude petroleum orother oil with sulfuric acid, and the present embodiment of my inventionis designed primarily for that purpose, as described in `my copendingapplication Serial No. 477,856; but it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to use in the field indicated. The inventionoperates on the centrifugal principle, that is, the liquids to be mixedor emulsiied are driven through the mixing or emulsifying devices bycentrifugal force, 30 forA which purpose the said devices are rotated ata high rate of speed, preferably by means of a steam turb-ine,direct-connected. The mixing or emulsifying devices are in the form ofiiat disks arranged co-axially one above the other, and providingbetween the disks of each pair one or more radial channels of tortuousor saw-tooth form, so that in traveling radially outward through suchchannels the liquids are subject to numerous rapid and sudden changesorP direction, thus producing a violent churning effect b-y which theliquids are brought into almost molecular association with each other.

Issuing at high velocity from the emulsifying channels, the spraystrikes the Iwalls of the enclosing chamber or casing and is guideddownwardly into a collecting trough or receptacle, from which the liquidmixture or emulsion is delivered by Va suitable spout or discharge pipe.Preferably the centrifugal mixing or emulsifying devices, forming whatmay be conveniently termed a mixing andemulsifying head, are driven bydirect connection with a single-stage steam turbine.

One form of the invention, embodying the c the upper end of the carrier10.

Serial No. 477,857.

features outlined above, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Fig. 1 is a side View, partly in vertical section.

F ig. 2 is a detail plan View of one of the mixing or emulsifying disks.

Fig 3 is a detail side view of a pair or disks, showing the dischargeorifices of those of the emulsifying or mixing channels in that pair.

The revolving head, through which the liquids to be mixed are caused totravel by centrifugal force, comprises a hollow spindle or carrier 10,provided with a radial ange 11 on which rests an abutment-plate 12 ofcircular form. Mounted co-axially on the carrier above the plate 12 is aplurality of pairs (in the present instance two pairs) of mixing oremulsifying disks 13, 14, 15, 16, which are bound firmly together uponthe plate 12 by means of the nut 17 threaded on lt is advantageous tohave the disks lit the carrier snugly, but a driving iit is notnecessary or desirable.

@ne of the mixing disks, as 15, is shown in V plan in Fig. 2, in whichit will be seen that the disk is provided with four radial grooves orrecesses at right angles to each other, into which are fitted fourinserts 18, the upper surfaces of which are sharply corrugated orsaw-toothed, as indicated in Fig. 1. All four disks are exactly likethat shown in Fig. 2, and the inserts 18 are of such thickness that whenthe flat surfaces of the disks vare in contact (the disks 14: and 16being inverted over disks 13 and 15 as in Figs. 1 and 3) thecorrugat-edsurfaces of the inserts will be slightly spaced apart, thus providing ineach pair of disks four tortuous, Zig-zag or saw-tooth, passages orchannels extending radially outward from the carrier 10. As indicated inFigs. 2 and 3, the sides of each insert 18 are parallel to each otherand hence the emulsifying passages formed thereby do not ilare or widenoutwardly. The carrier 10 is provided with a plurality of verticaloutlet slots, 19, say two for each vertical tier of passages, or eightslots in all.

l/Vhen the carrier-and-disk assemblyV or head is revolved at the desiredhigh speed, liquids delivered into the hollow carrier pass throughtheoutlet or delivery slots 19 into the saw-tooth passages, in a pluralityof.

streams.` As the liquids travel outwardly under the influence ofvcentrifugal force, they are subjected to numerous changes ol: direction,suddenly and rapidly recurring. The liquids are thus subjected to aviolent churning action, which results in the most intimate possiblemixing or emulsii'ication. Inasmuch as there is substantially no outwardflare or widening of the emusliztying passages, the tendency of thecomniingled liquids to break up or be atoinized into a spray isminimized and there is no decrease in the velocity of outward flow.

The stationary outer casing, which encloses the emulsitying or mixinghead, is in the present form composed of three sepan rable sections,seated one on top of the other, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The lowersection is in the form of a circular trough having a vertical outerwall, and an inner wall which is inclined upwardly bringing its edgeclose to the beveled underside of the abutment plate 12. The centersection, 21, is in the lforin ot a circular collar having an inneriiange extending upwardly and horizontally over the upper- 'most mixingdisk, 16, as illustrated in Fig.

V1. The upper section, 22, is in the lform oit .a flat receptacle orpan, having at its center Y a discharge tube 23 extending downwardlyrier will at all times completely cover the outlet slots 19.

The liquid mixture or emulsion discharged froin the saw-tooth passagesor channels is thrown outwardly at high velocity, but the streamsdischarged are rela- Y tively thin, and hence their momentum is too`small to cause much rebound irom the surface or the enclosing casing.Accord 'ingly the liquid runs down the walls of the trough 20, and downthrough openings 25 intothe lower "circular trough 26 which is removablymounted on the collar 27 extend ing upwardly from the casing 28. The

`trough 26 yis provided with a 4discharge spout 26 from which thecollected liquid miXtureor emulsion is delivered to another trough,pipe, or launder, not shown, to

carry the liquid away `for utilization, storu age, or such furthertreatment as may be desirable.

The tubular carrier 10, on which the mixing and emulsii'ying disks 13,14, 15, 16 are mounted, has a tapered socket in its lower endto fittightly (but removably) on the tapered upper end of la vertical shaft 29which is rotated at a high rate of speed by a steam turbine housed inthe casing 28. The turbine rotor 30 is mounted directly on the shaft bymeans oi a hub 31 fitting a taper on the shaft, upon which taper the hubis forced by a nut 32. At its lower end the shaft rests on a ball set ina cup or retainer 34 adapted to slide i'reelybut without appreciableside shake in the neck extending upwardly from 4the bottom of the casing3G which is removably mounted on the underside oit the housing 2d. The

the lower end oi which rests on a plug 38 in the louer end of said neck.

cui is vieldino'l suueorted lo a s rin l .l ,o l l l y screw This plugcan be screwed in oi' out to regulate the tension ot the spring, and canbe locked in adjusted position by a 3am-n`u`t 39. The steam inlet andoutlet to and from the housing 28, andthe nozzle for directing thesteamV upon the blades of 'the turbine rotor are not shown,`as theseparts may be of any suitable construction and are well iniderstood.

The casing B6 is designed to be filled witn high dash-point lubricatingoil, insuring adequate lubrication of the lower portion of the shaft,where it is most needed.

Below the bottom or housing QSthe shaft runs in a long bearing d0,mounted in a tubular neck dl supported between the bottom oi the housingand the upper edge of the casing .36. Above the rotor 30 the shaft has abearing d2 seated in flanged ring 43 i to said passages at their innerends, and

means for rotating said head.

2. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, ahollowcarrier adaptedy to rotate on a vertical axis and hav? ing a pluralityof delivery openings in its wall, a panl of disks mounted on saidcarrier to rotate therewith and providing between them a plurality ofoutwardly extending tortuous non-widening passages coni1ni1nieating attheir inner ends with the openings in said carrier, means for deliveringliquids into said carrier, and means for rotating the carrier.

3. In ,an apparatus for the purpose de! scribed, in combination, aplurality of pairs of disks arranged co-axially and adaptedto ior thepurpose de-v ioo y Lio rotate 'on a vertical axis, each pair of disksproviding between them a plurality of outwardly extending tortuousnon-widening passages, means for delivering liquids to the inner ends ofsuch passages, and means for rotating the disks.

4. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, ahorizontal disk having a plurality of outwardly extending corrugated orsaw-toothed surfaces On its upper side, a similar disk inverted upon theother, the corrugated or saw-toothed surfaces of the two providing aplurality of outwardly extending tortuous non-widening passages, meansfor rotating the disks on a vertical axis, and means for deliveringliquids to the inner ends of the said tortuous passages.

`5. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, a hollowcarrier adapted to rotate on a vertical axis and having a plurality ofopenings in its wall, a plurality of pairs of disks mounted on saidcarrier co-axially therewith and with each other, the disks of-each pairproviding between them a plurality of outwardly extending tortuousnon-widening passages communicating at their inner ends with the open*ings in the wall of the carrier, removable means for holding the diskson the carrier, and means for rotating the carrier and the disks.

6. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, a diskarranged horizontally to rot-ate on a vertical axis and having in itsupper surface a plurality of radial recesses, inserts iitted in saidrecesses and having their upper surfaces corrugated or saw-toothed inform, a similar disk inverted upon the other and having inserts of likeform co-operating with the inserts of the lower disk to forma pluralityof corrugated or saw-toothI passages, means for delivering liquids tosaid passages at their inner ends, and means for rota-ting the disks ona ver tical axis.

7. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, a rotatinghead having a pluralit of outwardly extending tortuous non-wi eningassages through which liquids to be mixed) or emulsied can be driven bycentrifugal force, means for delivering liquids to said passages attheir inner ends, means for rotating said head, a stascribed, incombination, a hollow carrier having a plurality of openings in its walland provided with an outwardly extending flange, a collar threaded onthe carrier at the upper end thereof above the said iange, a pluralityof pairs of disks mounted upon said carrier between the flange thereofand the said threaded collar, said disks providing a plurality ofoutwardly extending tortuous non-widening passages communicating attheir inner ends with the said openings in the carrier, means forrotating the carrier on a vertical axis, a stationary housing enclosingthe disks and carrier to receive and collect liquids discharged fromsaid passages, and means for delivering liquids to be mixed oremulsified into said carrier.

9. In an apparatus for the purpose described, in combination, a mixingor emulsi fying head adapted to rotate on a vertical axis and comprisinga hollow carrier provided with openings in its wall, and a plurality ofpairs of disks mounted upon said carrier, the disks of each pairproviding between them a plurality of outwardly extending emulsifyingpassages communicating at their' inner ends with said openings in thecarrier, a vertical shaft upon which said carrier is mounted forrotation thereby, a stationary trough encircling the carrier below saiddisks and having a discharge spout, a stationary housing enclosingv thehead and mounted on said trough, to receive liquids discharged from thehead and deliver such liquid-s to the trough, and means carried by saidhousing for delivering liquids into said carrier.

`In testimony whereof I hereto ax my signature.

CHRISTIAN F. PAUL, JR.

